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Topic: Which Dyson? (Read 1249 times)

I think this maybe a can of worms but we'll see. I was thinking of asking this on Vacuumland forums but thought they'd be too much 'don't buy any Dyson buy a ...'

I've got 2 DC01s that i'm going to give to the local charity shop, a white/blue DC02 that's going to the tip - motor's worn out, a Vax Air Mach Reach (I think) which my wife likes, a DC19 for DIY use (I hoover the block paving with it after cutting wood), a Kirby G4 just in case, a recently repaired DC07 which I'm now using and quite like. Finally, I've bought a cheap DC41 with I think a faulty motor (I've also found out it has a crack near the bottom next to the hose fitting!). Anyway picking up and repairing the DC07 rekindled my interest in Dysons and whether good progress has been made. This seems to be the subject of debate. Most postings on various forum make me think that although newer models perform better they are less reliable and a pain to fix.

Initially I was attracted to the idea of the Cinetic with no filters until I found out that vacuuming up fine abrasive dust kills them, no good for me with a wood burning stove and lots of DIY going on. That's when I thought about the DC41, there's a fair few for sale and initial Internet searches made them sound OK so I bought a cheap one to fix. Now after further research it seems like they have a reputation for problems, yes I can fix them OK but I've got other things to do.

So back to the subject, if I want a better replacement for the DC07, I'll define that - hopefully not as noisy, bulky and maybe keep it's filters cleaner so less time washing them, should I repair the DC41 or buy a DC14 or a DC25?

Another thought, is the DC41 mk2 worth having compared to the mk1?

Just for info, I clean filters regularly and generally look after them but do work them hard at times. None of my vacuums are showroom pieces. We have no stairs and a mixture of carpet and hardfloors.

Hi Steve,My first piece of advice is DO NOT DUMP THAT DC02, my personal go to is always sebo before Dyson. In my opinion thry currently make the best cleaners on the market. That's hot to sty they always will but their current crop suits my needs down to the ground.

Hmm. My MIL has a Sebo, dark blue and yellow upright. It seems OK but I have a Kirby for the bagged action.

I'll take another look at the DC02, it's heavily used so badly scratched and I'm not sure if it still has the blue Cyclone inside or if I started using the one from the standard grey/yellow type (which I also wore out).

DC41's aren't as nimble as they look... Their not ball machines, rather the 'ball' is 2 massive wheels disguised as a ball. Pivot it too far over and it spins around on itself annoyingly, plus the head fills up with crap for fun, and they make a new MG look like its got good build quality... (https://manchestervacs.co.uk/DysonForum/index.php/topic,3329.0.html)

Or, buy a used Henry or one of the DIY Hoover's Stuart is currently flogging and buy a Sebo or A.N other dyson (the Dyson DC75 Cinetic has most of the same flaws as the DC41 being as it's identical bar a bigger bin). Or, you have a Kirby, you don't need anything else! Cheapy crappy vac for the fire, Kirby for everything else!

DC25's are generally OK, I've never seen a burnt out one, but they do snap their Yolk looms for fun, and the foam cyclone gasket wears out and fills the filter up with rubbish. Add in that the brushroll motor life is rated at 60 hours, which most are exceeding now so can go at any moment, and their a dubious choice. Saying that they are pennies to buy, so it's not a bad gamble, but their big, heavy lumbering machines, certainly no easier to use than a DC07/14.

Any nice older second hand bagged machines on ebay in your local area? A 1990's cheapo vac is leagues ahead of a 2018 cheapo vac!

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Collector and restorer of vintage vacuums, Dyson Appreciator! Come and see my blog, where I am uploading all my mountains of brochures, manuals and other vacuum cleaner paperwork, and also my youtube channel @beko1987!

Thanks Beko that's a good few things to consider. As you suspected I don't vac out the stove, only once a week or less do I vac out the 'corners' that can't be emptied by shovel. I did however forget to mention the 3 rescue cats we have but they are short-haired so not a real issue.

I've had a quick look at the Dc41. As I removed a few parts it was obvious that it's been used to clean up plaster or polyfilla dust so i suspected the motor was faulty, however simple fault finding proved the cable was broken internally. I've cut out the bad part to test the motor which seems OK and so a replacement cable would fix that but further examination has shown that the 'spine' is cracked on both sides making it pretty weak. I could repair it with fibreglass but haven't decided if it's worth the trouble.

Is the Dc02 worth anything, if so I could sell it or swap it for parts?

The DC02 in white is quite rare, but it would have to be in mint condition with all it's tools to be worth proper money. Otherwise still don't bin it, as spares are non-existant for it! DC02's are funny in that their pretty unloved, but are quite good when their working properly. They just have first gen cyclone technology which doesn't work terribly well. That's why vax/hoover cyclones aren't too fab as all the patents expired on the DC02 and every man and his dog copied it badly. Seems the newer dyson tech is more robustly protected hence it's not filtered down yet.

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Collector and restorer of vintage vacuums, Dyson Appreciator! Come and see my blog, where I am uploading all my mountains of brochures, manuals and other vacuum cleaner paperwork, and also my youtube channel @beko1987!

Hi! I own pretty much all UK Dyson uprights. Personally, I'd say the DC14 is the best, simple Dyson design. They're not only powerful, but are physically durable as well. The earlier Dysons had brittle plastics (Try getting the later DC14s, with the dark iron coloured bodies as they're most robust) Ask any Dyson expert, most would say the DC14 is the best design overall.

The DC14 is basically a more sturdy DC07 and slightly better designed especially with the cyclone and wand design.

We used a DC41 Mk2 as our house vacuum for about 3 years, I've gotta admit, they're brilliant, much better than the original MK1 DC41. They clean brilliantly (Dyson's best performing UK upright). The plastic is flexible on Dysons now to avoid snapping and cracking, although earlier DC41's had issues with cracks in the body next the bottom. The DC41 Mk2 is my favourite Dyson, next being the DC14.

We owned a DC25 from new in 2011, which was good, but I'd say a DC14 cleans better, still. The DC25 cleaner head is just crap IMO, there's a large gap by the end cap which leaks a lot of suction.

Oh and I recommend the light ball as well. I own one and surprisingly like it as well as the DC41 Mk2!

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DC14s are tanks, just need a slightly longer motor life. Do plastic parts often break on DC14s? Nope. DC41- Sexy looking futuristic and powerful machine. Just needs a better designed cleaner head wheel and cyclone clip along with a dense metal rod in the chassis.

I'm not far off getting the DC41 working again, I've used fibreglass to fix the cracks which were even worse than I thought. I just need time to rebuild it.

I've been using the DC07 exclusively since killing the little vax. It does feel pretty solid and the cyclone seems easy to clean, where as the DC41s cyclone has a lot of parts that I don't think will take being stripped down too often before they break.

Finally bought a DC25. What a shed! Absolutely stunk which leads me to think someone used it to vacuum up milk. I've stripped the cyclone and the head and put the plastics in my ultrasonic cleaner. The body ducts will also need a good cleaning too as they show signs of dried up gunk.

Finally bought a DC25. What a shed! Absolutely stunk which leads me to think someone used it to vacuum up milk. I've stripped the cyclone and the head and put the plastics in my ultrasonic cleaner. The body ducts will also need a good cleaning too as they show signs of dried up gunk.

A brief update. I bought a brand new head for the Dc25, along with filters and a new cyclone gasket. It works very well and feels sturdy. A minor problem is that the hose at the side of the head/ball catches on overhangs.

The Dc41 has also had a virtually brand new head (off a ball animal 2 I think). It was for sale locally for just £5 and had been used just once. Needless to say I snapped it up and it works great. It grooms the carpet better than the Dc25 and nearly as good as my Kirby G4, it may not agitate as well but I haven't tested them side by side.

Along with with those 2 I've got a Dc07, Dc08 and a Dc19 so a cull is on the cards.